This reading is so very long,and there are so many points that I want to address but I simply cannot write about all of them. I certainly have a lot of different opinions about how this Utopian society is run. First, I applaud More for the intense detail and thought in which everything is written and portrayed. The Utopian society has definitely given me a lot to chew on, and I can’t decide whether or not I am for or against it.
The first thing that really struck me was the equality that is practically oozing from each principle. All men and women and children are required to work on Agriculture as the first and foremost job, taking a second, more personal job. What I liked about this was that the society must truly work together in order to survive. Men, women, and children are assigned duties based on their physical ability. Clothing is regulated so there is no distinction and discrimination between the people. Emphasis on equality. Everything is perfect. People are treated equally, there is no discrimination. Everyone wears the same clothing. Everyone is required to learn a second trade, society continues almost flawlessly.
The moral principles of this society are truly amazing. The way the justice system is created, the way slaves are “enslaved” because of their offenses, and yet their children are not born into slavery. I like the disregard (and disgust) the Utopians show towards material objects, for example, why should a small gem be of any importance when the greatest gem is up in the sky?
As much as I enjoy all these principles however, I can’t shake a feeling of discomfort at this whole idea of Utopia. I don’t much like how everything appears the same. But is this discomfort because I come from a society that places heavy emphasis on being unique and asserting individuality? Utopia is one “perfect,” society, but wouldn’t it be boring? What is perfection, after all? Is it a society that runs smoothly, with no problems? Can it be a perfect society if the people are unhappy? Then again, the Utopians see happiness differently. But to me, I see perfection in the presence of “flaws.” I think that is the only thing that truly bothers me about the Utopian society: the lack of individuality. Perfection should be an integration of this Utopian society morals and principles, and what we have now – that is, the assertion of individuality – but also with an acceptance, appreciation, and love for all forms of individuality and differences among people. What do you think? What is your idea of perfection, and how would you create your own Utopian society? I think this is a project I would definitely like to spend more time on - to write my own "Utopia."
The sameness of More's Utopia made me feel uncomfortable too. There was something both admirable and eerie about it. I don't think More took into consideration that we humans have an innate need to assert our individuality. I am totally in accordance with More's intention of equality, but equality doesn't necessarily entail absolute uniformity. Even if this kind of Utopia was able to come about in the real world, I don't think it would last very long because no one would be able to do anything that would set them apart from (not necessarily above or below) the rest of society. Or does something we do "outside the mold" automatically change our position on the social ladder? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI believe that we have to have a ballanced consciousness of being part of the "bigger picture" of humanity as a whole while still maintaining our personal identities as unique individuals. This is something innate, not just a side effect of our culture.
I would never want to live in this Utopia. What would there be to live for, if everyone else was the same? You would never get a sense of happiness if at the end of everyday you kicked your shoes off (which are the same shoes as everyone else) and said, "Wow I did the exact same thing as everyone else today, and it feels great." In a society where people are happy, at the end of the day people are pleased with the individual goals they accomplished. I think that if this Utopia existed, most of its citizens would be clinically depressed.
ReplyDeleteThe reminded me of Plato's "The Republic." The Republic was different when it came to the individuality of people. Everyone was meant to do something different, in the "perfect society." I think that it is ironic that More wrote Utopia so long after The Republic was written. I would have assumed that the advancement of the way of living would have made More realize what works and doesn't work when living in society.
I wouldn't want to create or live in a Utopian society. Living in a place where everyone is the same, no individuality, it would be incredibly boring. In my opinion, individuality is an important component of a society. A Utopian society would no last too long in our current society. People are praised for being different and standing out so making everyone the same would diminish our society.
ReplyDeleteYour Rumination was similar to mine in the fact that I was so intrigued by the lifestyle that More had illustrated and yet at the same time I was more than appalled! The sameness of a life that the citizens of the Utopia had seemed unbearable, dull, and boring. The amount of detail that More put into the text made it so that as a reader, I was able to sort of imagine myself in that world-yet at the same time, it was unimaginable because of what he was describing. I do not believe that More's idea of perfection is the same as my own, which is why his utopia is something I can't even imagine. Maybe it's the change of time or maybe he just believed in different ideals of life. I am not creative enough to just sit here and describe my own utopia, but one thing that I would take from More's is his ideal of religious tolerance.
ReplyDeleteI was also disturbed by how Utopia devalued the individual in favor of the collective whole. I think that our society today has conditioned us to be uncomfortable with this idea, since individuality is strongly encouraged. However, I also noticed that with a sacrifice of individuality, there was a sacrifice of ambition as well. Since utopians have their lives plotted out for them, they don't feel compelled to achieve much of anything. I think that there would be very little room for progress in a Utopia, and a society without progress would inevitably falter.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. The question you pose seems simple, but it fits understanding and deciding one's opinion of Utopia perfectly: what is perfection afterall? I personally tend to lean toward your gut feeling, individuality and freedom of expression are vital aspects of any society that I would deem as being close to perfection. One of my favorite sayings is "Nothing about me is original, I am the combined efforts of everyone I have ever known." This is something I truly believe, and I feel that the Utopians are at an unfortunate disadvantage from being able to learn for themselves. Some of the greatest learning experiences I've had in my life were the direct result of being confronted with people, perspectives and cultures that were starkly different from my own- both for good and for bad. I think cultivating individuality is invaluable for a society because it promotes the development of character of it's citizens, thereby creating a community of people with deeper wisdom, genuine tolerance and sincere empathy for those around them.
ReplyDelete"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."- R.W. Emerson... I wanted to end with this because this is what I hope for those Utopians who feel the chains of their society and want to embrace their individuality. Great post, I loved the way it got me thinking.
I completly agree with this rumination. At first when reading about the Utopian society it sounds like the perfect place to be. After all isnt that what we strive for, everyone to be treated equally? There is no judgemnt, no rejects, nobody is looked down upon unless they give the rest of a society a reason to feel negatively towards them. Everything is just right. But if this society is so flawless is it really perfect? Or is this just the norm? Without flaw and imperfections, then we cant have perfection because there is nothing to compare the norm to. I think were better off living in a world with its different and individualtity, in my opinion uniqueness is key in life.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you have to say in this rumination about the disturbing nature of Utopia. The lack of any variety unsettles me, and as you point out, it should, considering we hail from a world so heavily based on individuality and being different. There are two things I disagree with however, the first of which is that notion that our current society encourages individuality. While to some degree I think this is true, there are areas where individuality and uniqueness are completely shunned. Body image, for instance - we encourage a thin body type as a society, have our standard of beauty so strictly set that any divergence is seen, on a communal level, as ugly. The second point I disagree with is that the perfect world would have to be a mixture of Utopia and our present society (mainly with a focus on the variety we have). I think that if this were attempted, even in an imaginary realm as More's Utopia is found, it would be impossible to rationalize. The very premise of equality is sameness, and in a society that emphasizes variety, sameness is unachievable.
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